The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--

House

Plastic Bags: House Bill 1280 (Farry-R-Bucks) prohibit a plastic bag ban, tax or fee was reported from the House Consumer Affairs Committee, was amended on the House Floor and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  (The Senate Finance Committee has sunshined a meeting for Monday to consider this bill, even though it has not passed the House yet.)

Official State Mineral: House Bill 564 (Pickett-R-Susquehanna) designing the celestine as the official State Mineral of the Commonwealth was reported from the House Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Public Utilities: Senate Bill 881 (Blake-D-Lackawanna) exempting from the definition of public utility a resort offering water or sewer service to private homes within a resort was amended and reported from the House Consumer Affairs Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

Removing PA One Call Exemption For Natural Gas Lines: Senate Bill 1235 (Baker-R- Luzerne) that would end the exemption from PA One Call, the call before you dig program, for natural gas gathering lines (Senate Fiscal Note and summary) was amended and reported from the House Consumer Affairs Committee and is on the House Calendar for action.

Realty Transfer Tax Easement Exemption: House Bill 2370 (Moul-R-Adams) extending the conservation easement tax exemption retroactively was amended on the House Floor, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee, amended on the House Floor again and is now on the House Calendar for action.  (The Senate Finance Committee has sunshined a meeting for Monday to consider this bill, even though it has not passed the House yet.)

Forest Products Week: House Resolution 1065 (Rapp-R-Warren) designating the week of October 16 to 22 National Forest Products Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.

Senate

Prescription Drug Destruction: House Bill 1737 (Maher-R-Allegheny) further providing for the safe destruction of unwanted or unused prescription and other drugs was amended and reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Exempt Utilities From Energy Efficiency: Senate Bill 805 (Boscola-D-Lehigh) exempting certain large electricity users from Act 129 energy efficiency requirements was removed from the Table and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Federal Floodplain Management Regs: Senate Resolution 421 (Argall-R-Schuylkill) urging the President and Congress to review changes to the federal floodplain management regulations that negatively impact blighted communities (sponsor summary) was amended and reported from the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Forest Products Week: Senate Resolution 454  (Hutchinson-R-Venango) designating the week of October 16 to 22 National Forest Products Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the Senate.

10/24/2016